Soroka includes Palestinian doctors in ultrasound training

During the course, the instructors also traveled to hospitals in the West Bank to examine patients with the local staff.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Physicians attend an ultrasound training at Soroka University Medical Center (photo credit: COURTESY RAHEL DAVID FOR BGU)
Physicians attend an ultrasound training at Soroka University Medical Center
(photo credit: COURTESY RAHEL DAVID FOR BGU)
The cooperation of Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University’s Health Sciences Faculty, Harvard University and Palestinian doctors is improving the ability to use ultrasounds for diagnosis.
Soroka has a national training center in the field of using advanced ultrasound systems to help doctors obtain vital findings at the patient’s bedside. Recently, a special course was held to include physicians from hospitals from all over the country, with participation from Palestinian doctors from the West Bank and Gaza. The courses were titled “Market Assessment Using Patient Ultrasound” and “The Use of Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia.”
The aim of the joint venture was to convey important knowledge about recent ultrasound technology that has reduced echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) devices to the size of a mobile phone and provided increased success in providing quick diagnoses.
The doctors underwent small group exercises involving the scanning of a patient in shock, with shortness of breath and hemodynamic instability, and learned how to diagnose the condition quickly and accurately. The courses, held at BGU’s medical school, were organized by Soroka intensive care specialist Dr. Lior Fuchs while Dr. Tamer Abu Greis, an anesthesiology resident, coordinated the inclusion of the Palestinian medical staff.
“The world of medicine and the health system are a perfect example of cooperation and harmonious work between people who have one goal – to help their patients and improve their quality of life,” said Fuchs. “Anyone who comes to receive treatment at the hospital knows that no matter who takes care of him, it always feels like he is doing the maximum for him, no matter where he comes from.”
Abu Greis added, “I welcome the cooperation between Palestinian doctors and Israeli doctors. I know many [Palestinian] interns who study in Israeli hospitals. There are many Palestinian patients who go to Israeli hospitals, because there is no doubt that medicine in Israel is strong and we can learn from them. I hope the cooperation will continue.”
During the course, the instructors also traveled to hospitals in the West Bank to examine patients with the local staff.
Besides Soroka, BGU and Harvard, other partners in the project were the Peres Center for Peace, the Foreign Ministry and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston and doctors from Washington and Vermont.